For the second time in the past three years an area soccer team advanced to the final four.

The head coaches for those two teams, P.K. Yonge girls coach Rebecca Shackow (2024), and Santa Fe boys coach Morgan Dall’Acqua (2026), have once again been recognized as two of the top coaches in the area.

They join girls big school coach Mike Giannini of Gainesville High School and boys small school coach Max Aguirre of Williston as our Bosshardt Realty Coaches of the Year.

Dall’Acqua, who finished third in the voting for the Florida Dairy Farmers Class 3A Coach of the Year, was named the boys big school coach of the year after guiding the Raiders (14-5-3) to their first final four in program history.

It marks the third straight year that Dall’Acqua has won the award.

“I appreciate when hard work gets recognized,” Dall’Acqua said. “Much of our success this season was the result of a group that was self-motivating. Our captains were able to drive the tempo in trainings as well as games and I think that was what carried us down the stretch.”

Senior midfielder Wayne Boone, who finished third in the voting for the Florida Dairy Farmers Class 3A Player of the Year, senior MF/F Dharma Rico, and junior DEF/MF Mason Kramer made the Bosshardt Realty All Area team and were key contributors to their run.

“To get both Wayne and Mason recognized, and I imagine our third captain Drew Cornell would have made this list if not for a season-ending knee injury, is a testament to their value, and I am glad that the other coaches in the area recognized that,” Dall’Acqua said.

Special recognition goes out to Todd Rousseau of Buchholz and Chris Joyner of Suwannee (Live Oak).

In his first season as head coach, Rousseau and the Bobcats (16-2-1) had an unbeaten regular season and won a first-round playoff game in the Class 6A state playoffs.

As a No. 5 seed in 6A-Region 1, they defeated No. 4 seed Tate (Cantonment) on the road, 3-2, in the first round of the state playoffs before a 3-1 upset loss at home to No. 8 seed South Lake (Groveland).

Suwannee lost to Florida High (Tallahassee), 4-3, in the 3A-District 2 semifinals but earned an at-large bid to the 3A state playoffs where they lost at Santa Fe, 2-1, in the opening round.

Schackow, who recently stepped down after nine seasons at PKY, was named the girls small school COY for the fourth consecutive season.

“I am so grateful to be recognized as the Mainstreet Daily News All Area Small School Girls Coach of the Year,” she said. “I am honored to represent my coaching staff, my players, our families, and our school in this manner. We have an outstanding group of people who make Blue Wave soccer possible.” 

P.K. Yonge (11-5-3) was one of seven area girls teams to earn an FHSAA playoff bid but they were the only school to win a first round game.

Following the 3-0 victory against Taylor County (Perry), the No. 3 seed Lady Blue Wave were denied a fifth straight region final with a season-ending 2-0 loss at No. 2 seed Episcopal (Jacksonville).

“This past season was one marked by learning to overcome adversity and challenges,” Schackow said. “We started the season feeling like we were rebuilding after graduating seven all-star players from the previous year. Then we faced more injuries in one season than I can recall during my time with this program. Nevertheless, our team stayed focused and united. We found new ways to support each other, to bring out the best in each other, and to win.”

They rebounded to win a seventh straight district title this season.

“We are enormously proud of our district champions title this season,” Schackow said. “It was a hard-earned trophy to be able to take home. We are thrilled with our success and celebrate well. We are grateful for the opportunity to play the sport we love.”

Ashley Arnold of Newberry, Daniel Clark of Oak Hall School, and Cara Soride of Branford were honorable mention selections.

Newberry (18-3-2) and Oak Hall (11-5) both lost in their district championship game but received an at-large bid, while Branford (9-10-5) won its first district title in program history to secure an automatic bid.

A district title helped Giannini secure the girls big school COY.

“This was my first year with the program, and from the beginning it was about building a standard and getting everyone on the same page,” Giannini said. “The players bought into that and were willing to put the work in. Because of that, we were able to get some really good results, win a district title, and make it to the regional playoffs.”

GHS (11-5) defeated Springstead (Spring Hill), 3-1, on the road to win the 5A-District 5 title, followed by a season-ending 4-0 loss at Innovation (Orlando) in the 5A-Region 2 Quarterfinals. 

“It didn’t end the way we wanted, but the growth of the group over the course of the season really stood out,” Giannini said. “They stayed committed, kept working, and continued to improve. Their work ethic and determination were a big part of what we were able to accomplish.”

Josh Hallberg of Keystone Heights received special recognition.

The Lady Indians (8-12-3) edged Interlachen, 3-2, to win the 3A-District 4 title before a first-round exit in the playoffs with a 5-0 loss at South Walton (Santa Rosa Beach).

The boys small school COY was a tough decision.

José De León of P.K. Yonge and Max Aguirre of Williston came down to a tiebreaker.

It was a great year for both head coaches, but Aguirre got the nod this year based on more first-place votes from area coaches, 3-2, than De León.

De León’s Blue Wave defeated Aguirre’s Red Devils, 2-1, in the 2A-District 3 championship game on Jan. 27.

“It feels amazing,” P.K. Yonge coach José De León said following the win. “This is my third title and my fourth final in my seven years here at the program after more than a decade without anything, always getting beaten…to be able to be here seven years later with three championships and four finals, that’s amazing.”

P.K. Yonge and Williston tied 2-2 in their only other meeting during the regular season on Dec. 11, and this one was tied 1-1 at the half.

“It was hard played on both sides,” Aguirre said. “It was evenly played. We just came out on the short stick, and we didn’t quite finish the way we needed to finish. We couldn’t get that one pass that we needed.”

Both teams won a first-round regional game.

P.K. Yonge (18-4-2) defeated Marianna, 4-2, followed by a second-round loss at Episcopal (Jacksonville), 3-1, while Williston advanced to the regional final and got within one game of the final four.

The Red Devils (14-4-5) defeated Global Outreach Charter Academy (Jacksonville), 3-1, followed by a win at top seed Maclay (Tallahassee), which was decided in a shootout after the game was tied 2-2 at the end of regulation.

Williston’s run ended with a 3-0 loss at eventual state runner-up Episcopal in the 2A-Region 1 Final.